Puri YouTuber Under Probe for Links to Accused Spy Jyoti Malhotra

Puri: In the wake of the arrest of Haryana-based travel vlogger Jyoti Malhotra on charges of espionage for Pakistan, the Puri Police have launched a probe into possible links between the accused and Odisha YouTuber Priyanka Senapati.

Speaking to the media, Puri Superintendent of Police (SP) Vinit Agrawal confirmed that an investigation is underway to examine all aspects of the relationship between the two vloggers, particularly focusing on Priyanka’s recent travel to the Kartarpur Corridor in Pakistan.

“We are investigating the matter from all angles, scrutinizing their relationship and Priyanka’s travel to Kartarpur. We are in contact with Central and State intelligence agencies, as well as Haryana Police. After the investigation is complete, we will share our findings with the media,” SP Agrawal said.

According to reports, Jyoti Malhotra, who runs the YouTube channel Travel with JO, visited the Jagannath Temple in Puri in September last year. She was reportedly accompanied by her friend Priyanka Senapati, a Puri-based travel vlogger. Police are verifying details of her visit and stay in the city during that time.

Addressing speculation around Priyanka’s involvement, SP Agrawal said she is currently being examined by the police and remains at her residence in Puri.

“Everything is being verified. If arrest is required, we will do that,” he added.

In a development raising further questions, Priyanka had recently traveled to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan, via Amritsar and uploaded a video of the visit on her YouTube channel. In the video, she can be seen praising Pakistani tourists, prompting investigators to review her content as part of the inquiry.

Jyoti Malhotra is a travel vlogger from Haryana who was arrested for allegedly passing sensitive information to Pakistani intelligence operatives. Her arrest followed months of surveillance after her suspicious connections came to light, particularly with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a staffer at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

Malhotra had attended an Iftar event at the High Commission in 2023 on special invitation, during which she was seen interacting closely with Danish. The Indian government subsequently declared Danish persona non grata and expelled him on May 13 on charges of espionage.

Investigations have revealed that Jyoti visited Pakistan multiple times, maintained intimate ties with a Pakistani intelligence operative, and even traveled to Bali with him. She reportedly used encrypted messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat to communicate with Pakistani operatives, storing their contact details under false names to hide their identities.

The case has widened into a multi-state espionage investigation, with the Odisha Police coordinating closely with national agencies and the Haryana Police as they piece together the full extent of the suspected spy network.